That Other Side
by Lae Bevin
Summary: She was almost graduating. She was looking forward to life after Hogwarts, normal life after Hogwarts. But now, they were to research on water creatures. She wasn’t the only Irish fellow in her class."


**Disclaimer: **No… not mine… except for the girls. And I mean that in a non-perverted way, thanks :)

**Author's Note:** Not a songfic anymore. This one's a response to a challenge: Midterm CoMC project

**That Other Side**

**_4 September 1977_****__**

"But professor, I thought magical water creatures were not supposed to be on the lesson plan?" Lae Bevin was on the edge of her seat; her long slender fingers tapping their Care of the Magical Creatures book in a beat that made the Irish Jig seem easy.

"Yes, they weren't Miss Bevin. But this year, I thought maybe Hogwarts students ought to know more about water creatures. They have been taken off the curriculum four years ago and I think it's time you kids get educated about our magical water friends." Professor Kettleburn, a gangly wizard, spoke to the whole class.

"Does Professor Dumbledore know about this, sir? I mean, you _have_ to tell him what you're going to teach us. And I'm sure the headmaster would have stopped you if he knew about this." Lae was flaring, but she wasn't about to upset a teacher at the first week of the term.

"No, well, I don't suppose Professor Dumbledore would mind. It's for your class' sake, Miss Bevin." Professor Kettleburn adjusted his robes. "Yes, I think the headmaster wouldn't mind." He stood from his seat.

"But sir, that's _your_ opinion. Not Dumbledore's!" Lae stood so fast her chair flew and hit Sirius Black's desk.

"Miss Bevin, that is enough." Kettleburn raised an eyebrow at Lae's outburst. "Five points from Gryffindor." Lae sat down and Sirius didn't even try to hide his violent reaction from the deduction.

"But we'll be sticking to Red Caps and Kappas, right?" she spoke as politely as she could.

"Red Caps aren't even water creatures, genius!" Sirius shouted.

"Thank you for that clarification, Mr. Black. However, it wasn't necessary." The professor walked back to his table and reached for his book.

"You're welcome, professor." Black gleamed with pride. Lae wanted to hit Sirius as hard as she can with the book under her hand. At that moment, Lae didn't mind getting detention as long as Sirius lay in the hospital wing for a month, at least.

"I know more about water creatures than you could ever imagine, git. Shut up, show off." She whispered between pursed lips.

"The homework is clear, Lae. Research on water creatures who originate from your homeland." Kettleburn's voice reverberated through Lae's ears. Blue-eyed blond Alex raised his hand, "Yes, there's one everywhere, Alex, even in the US – so the research is quite easy." Alex wasn't the only one complaining.

"Also, there are numerous books in the library and I'm sure Madam Pince would be delighted to help you lot." Kettleburn opened his book.

"Don't worry about Bevin, professor. She's just looking for an easy way out. She was never a fan of research." Sirius dared.

"Five points, Sirius," James Potter's hand flew to hit the back of Sirius' head. "I won't have you and Lae ruin my classroom again. I just repaired the wall from that hideous duel you two had on the first day."

It was Lae's turn to grin. That duel _was_ brilliant and it kept Sirius in the hospital wing for the rest of the first day. But the sudden feeling of content escaped Lae when Professor Kettleburn dismissed the class. It was altogether upsetting. She was almost graduating. She was looking forward to life after Hogwarts, _normal_ life after Hogwarts. But now, they were to research on water creatures. She wasn't the only Irish fellow in her class. Lily knew about her, she wasn't going to say anything. But what about Shane Dunne? He was always staring at her in a very suspicious way. He would surely tell on her… First to his Slytherin friends then that sinister lot would tell the whole school…

"What's the worry, Bevin? Scared of a little homework?" Sirius scared Bevin back to reality. He pulled out her ponytail and her curly red hair flew all over the place.

"Oh bugger off," Lae was just not going to fight with him today. She didn't want to deal with his idiocy today. "_Folixen_." She pointed her want to her hair and it fixed itself neatly in a braid.

"Why are you taking Magical Creatures anyway?" She found it extremely annoying that Black had to follow her to Care of Magical Creatures in fifth year.

"I have to learn more about our magical friends, because _I_ am going to be an _Auror_, you know?" How about you? Couldn't resist following me?" Sirius wrapped his arm around Lae's waist. She pushed him away and threw him to the suit of armour.

"_Everything_ is more important than you, Black." She walked graciously away, leaving behind Sirius dusting off his robes in the middle of a group of giggling girls and jeering boys.

****

**_10 September 1977_****__**

"Would you like to be partners for the midterm project?" Remus Lupin hesitated to ask since Lae was looking very murderous at the moment, butchering her lunch.

"_First_, it was research and not it's a _midterm project_?! What else does he want us to do, _show and tell_?!" Lae shouted, splattering mash potato all over the scared first year beside her. The girl whimpered. "Yeah! Go away and run! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN! I didn't ask you to sit beside me!" she shouted as the girl ran as fast as she could away from Lae and Remus.

"Maybe I'll come back later." Remus backed away slowly.

"Why does he want _reporting_ on the researches anyway? Is he too _lazy_ to read our works? Maybe he should use all those long limbs to stretch his attention span a bit!" Lae flared.

"Well, I'm sure that's not the case, Lae." Remus shifted.

"Sure! Take his side." She went back to butchering her lambchops.

"You know, _I'm_ not Sirius. Maybe you should stop being hostile around me," Remus paused. "Well, and everybody else. I'm trying to reach out and help you. I'm doing you a favour, actually." Remus bravely sat beside her.

"Favor?" Lae stopped.

"Well, yes. You're the only one in class who still doesn't have a partner."

"What about you?"

"Well, I figured nobody would ask you after that horrible row you had with Kettleburn this morning." Lae stopped stabbing her food with her fork and considered Remus' offer. It was kind of sweet for someone to consider her like what Remus did.

"You're not from Ireland, so how are we going to make this work?" Lae asked.

"Ireland? Who said anything about Ireland? I though you said you're from Golspie? Isn't that in Scotland?" Remus suspiciously watched Lae.

"Well, yes, I am. It's just that – wait, where are you from?" She just realised that after knowing Remus for five years, she has never asked where he was originally from.

"Wales."

"Oh, alright. Then let's do mermaids."

"I was thinking the same thing." Remus was still staring at Lae as if Lae's lost her marbles. It was as if he was trying to piece together a mental puzzle.

"_Will you stop staring?!_" Lae demanded and looked at her plate, "I'm leaving." She pushed her plate away and got up from her seat.

"We'll talk later in the common room!" Remus called out as Lae ran out of the noisy Great Hall and almost ran into Sirius and James.

"You'll talk about what in the common room?" Sirius asked as they say on the Gryffindor table.

"Don't worry. I'm not stealing your girlfriend."

"Oh _haha_, Moony. Real funny." But James was giggling.

Lae ran as fast as she could. She just wanted to get away from her academic life. She hated Kettleburn for putting her up to this. The midterm project was going to be the end of her, she was sure of it.

She hated Dumbledore. He promised her father he would protect her from anything like this. If not for that promise, her father would have never let her attend Hogwarts at all. She hated McGonagall – she didn't know why but she just had to hate any teacher she could blame.

She reached the West Tower and sat outside on the lawn. She looked at the Great Lake and imagined how the water felt during this time of September. It must feel good to swim all day in the lake. During the holidays, she dove off the cliff of the Breeze and into the ocean and swam with the fish all day. How she missed the Breeze and her father. If he were here, he'd tell her how to deal with this problem…

"Wake up, Laenan."

"Professor Dumbledore, sir. I'm sorry. I must've – I forgot – I – "

"It's alright. When Professors Flitwick and Wildfire told me you weren't in their classes, I had to look for you."

"I'm really sorry, professor…"

"I fear that I need to extend my apologies. I think I know why you're here." Lae made a move to stand but Professor Dumbledore sat on the lawn instead. "Do you remember the first time you and I sat here together?" Dumbledore asked.

"First year, professor." Lae answered.

"Yes. You were also upset, then. Professor McGonagall had reprimanded you for swimming at the lake. Do you remember?" Dumbledore asked and Lae nodded.

It was her first year and it was the second week she was ever away from the Breeze and the ocean. The water called out to her and she skipped Potions. McGonagall, on her way back to the castle, saw Lae swimming in the lake. It was the first time Lae found herself sitting outside the West tower. Dumbledore went to talk to her then. She was allowed to go home that weekend to visit her father and the ocean.

"I promised your father I'd protect you." Dumbledore was opening a box of Chocolate Frogs.

"Well, you just broke that promise, didn't you? How come Professor Kettleburn found a way to teach water creatures this year?" Dumbledore failed to hold onto the Chocolate Frog because of Lae's retort.

"I wasn't aware of that change. He failed to inform me about that." Dumbledore took out the card and read his name across it. "Oh, dear Merlin, it's me again. I do love Chocolate Frogs but I have a hundred of myself already. Do you want this one?" he offered the card to Lae.

"I've got about eight of those." Lae refused so Dumbledore placed the card in his pocket instead.

"I'm afraid it's too late for Professor Kettleburn to take back the project." Dumbledore stood from the lawn.

"Then it's settled. I have to go back to my father. I can't stay here and be found out!" She jumped to her feet.

"I believe there are two Irish folks in your class. Lily Evans and Shane Dunne, am I correct?"

"Yes, professor, but Lily already knows. She's not going to say anything."

"Hmm… then I shall have a word with Shane if finds anything out."

"How will you know, professor?"

"That's up to me, Laenan. Now, if you hurry along, you'll find that you're not late for dinner. They made extra special pudding today." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled at the mention of pudding. Lae was still nervous about the whole thing. "Come now, Laenan. Do you really think I'd let your father down?" Dumbledore chewed on a Lemon drop.

"No, professor."

"Do you want to leave your friends here at Hogwarts?"

"No, professor, but if somebody finds out –"

"Nobody will." There was finality and assurance in his tone. And Lae was going to take it.

**_21 September 1977_****__**

"There was _no_ way _you_ couldn't be Irish, I _knew_ it!" Remus slammed his fist on the library book. Lae slammed her forehead on the table. She did not know why she told Remus about her being Irish. With Remus' intellect, not to mention his immense curiosity, he'd surely figure it out.

"I mean, _everything_ about you screams Ireland. I always wondered why you keep telling everyone you don't have Irish lineage." Remus smiled widely.

"It's more complicated than it seems, Remus." Lae raised her head and rested her chin on the table. "You have to promise me – no more questions, alright?" Lae leaned closer to Remus. He stopped being excited about the revelation.

"Sure. Just as long as you stop asking me where I go every month. I can't ask you and you can't ask me." He was still smiling.

"Deal." Lae smiled and they shook on it. There was a moment of silence when the witch and wizard went on with their reading. But it was as if curiosity hit them. They looked at each other, smiled and threw each other a question.

"So your parents migrated before you were born?"

"Why are you always sick?"

Remus flipped through the book where there was a photo of a mermaid combing her long grey hair. Lae sighed because she knew Remus wasn't going to drop the topic instantly. He was just dying to know everything.

"You know, Remus, for a guy who keeps his personal life _very personal_, you sure are annoyingly nosy sometimes." Lae smirked.

"Sorry, sorry, I know. I'm letting it go now." Remus dipped his quill into the ink bottle and continued taking notes.

Lae took time to steal glances at Remus. He looked like the trustworthy type, but she wasn't going to risk anything. If he found out, he'd tell Sirius. Lae wondered why it bothered her if Sirius found out, then she realised Sirius finding out a secret as big as this would be like giving herself away to the faery hunters. She and Remus have been close friends for quite some time and still she can't find it in her heart to tell him. He'll find out anyway, like the rest of her Hogwarts friends, when the time comes.

Lae's heart stopped for a second when Remus brushed his fingers over a picture of someone who resembled her mother. _Leanhaunn__ Sidhe_ in big calligraphic letters. Remus flipped through it. She was safe. For now.


End file.
